in the River Tone. Denning said: “For most of the time I just sat on my bat and watched Both get on with it.” Colin Milburn punished the Derbyshire bowlers at Northampton during the 1968 Whitsun but his colourful career received in irreparable setback on the eve of the Surrey match over the 1969 Spring holiday. Following a victory over the West Indies at Wantage Road Milburn attended a party at the Sywell Motel and drove home with Dennis Breakwell and George Sharp. On the narrow lane, his Austin 1800 was in collision with a lorry. Milburn’s face went straight into the windscreen, surgeons having to remove his left eye. The right eye was severely damaged and although he attempted a comeback and did reasonably well the handicap proved too much. Soon the traditional rivalry between Leicestershire and Northamptonshire was resumed, although they were no longer the Cinderellas. Leicestershire were champions in 1975, 1996 and 1998 and Northamptonshire runners-up in 1965 and 1976. In the latter year the August fixtures were crucial. Two matches remained; Middlesex, the leaders with 216 points were at New Road, with Leicestershire (199) and Northamptonshire (198) meeting at Grace Road. After weeks of drought, the West Midlands suffered the wettest August Bank Holiday for 54 years and eleven hours were lost at Leicester. Mushtaq Mohammad declared at 202 for seven after Northamptonshire gained their second bowling point; Ray Illingworth closed the Leicestershire innings at 22 for two to deprive Northamptonshire of a bowling point. Following on they lost three wickets for five runs but Brian Davison and Illingworth played out the last 45 minutes. At Worcester, two inches of rain washed out the last two days, leaving Middlesex with a solitary batting point but they won the title, Northamptonshire finishing second and Leicestershire fourth. August Bank Holiday 1977 brought more drama at Grace Road. Illingworth put Northamptonshire in and must have been pleased with the outcome: 172 and five wickets for Ken Higgs. Leicestershire then collapsed on a drying pitch and nine wickets were down for 45 when Higgs joined his captain on Monday. They added 228 before Higgs was run out for 98, Illingworth being unbeaten with 119. They were the only batsmen to reach double figures in a total of 273 but an accomplished century by Geoff Cook denied Leicestershire victory. The home supporters found greater cheer in August 1980 when after Wayne Larkins and Richard Williams had shared a second wicket partnership of 322 for Northamptonshire, a brilliant display by Allan Lamb on the Monday enabled Cook to set a target of 381 in 330 minutes. The runs were obtained in 103.3 overs, with David Gower, John Steele and Roger Tolchard the main contributors. Which brings us to Glamorgan and the tourists, for decades locked in holiday combat at Cardiff and Swansea. No more, although the 1972 Australians won at St Helen’s in May and Viv Richards and Joel Garner were to the fore when the 1984 West Indians visited. Otherwise there was no set pattern to Glamorgan’s fixtures, with plenty of variety and no little excitement, none more so than the August fixture against Essex in 1969. Gloucestershire opened a massive lead at the head of the Championship but two decisive victories over their rivals at Sophia Gardens and Cheltenham enabled Glamorgan to close the gap. The August Bank Holiday fixtures, with Glamorgan now leading with a match in hand, were crucial. Arthur Milton’s tenth hundred against Somerset and John Mortimore’s off spin kept Gloucestershire in the hunt Changing Partners 187